Mosquito-guard for cisterns and tanks.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

B. 0. MIKE. MOSQUITO GUARD FOR OISTERNS AND TANKS.

BENJAMIN O. MIRE, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

MOSQUITO-GUARD FOR CISTERNS AND TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 1'7, 1906.

Application filed August 13, 1905. Serial No. 274,774:-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN C. MIRE, a citizen of the United States, residin at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mosquito-Guards for Cisterns and Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to cisterns and tanks, and it contemplates the provision of simple, easily-applied, and efficient means calculated to prevent mosquitos from entering cisterns or tanks through the pipes appurtenant thereto, and this without retard.

ing the flow of water through the pipes and without interfering with the circulation of air through the pipes and the cistern or tank. With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a view'of so much of a tank and an adjacent building as is necessary to illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the discharge portion of one of the pipes appurtenant to the cistern with my improvements in proper position on said pipe. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the 1mprovements in proper position on the pipe. Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view illustrating the manner of connecting the improvements to the pipe. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of a modification hereinafter re ferred to.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, re-

ferring to which A is a portion of a building.

B is a cistern or tank.

C is a pipe arranged to receive water from the pitched roof of the building and conduct the same into the cistern or tank, and D is an overflow-pipe connected with the interior of the cistern or tank and having for its purpose to relieve the same of excess water.

My invention contemplates providing the pipes O and D with guards M for preventing mosquitos and the like from entering the c stern or tank through the pipes and this in such manner that the passage of water through the pipes is not interfered with and the circulation of air therethrough is not prevented. It is important that air be permitted to freely circulate through the pipes appurtenant to cisterns and tanks for sanitary reasons, and it is equally important that mosquitos be barred from vessels containing water, this latter because it has been discovered that mosquitos are the disseminators of yellow fever. The guards M are identical in construction and are similarly applied to the pipes C and D. The guard M, Figs. 2 to 4, is preferably made up of parallel bars a, fixedly connected together through the medium of a metallic strap 1) and having hook-like barbs c at their rear ends driven into the pipe C above the outlet thereof, an apertured gate (1, hinged to and depending from the forward ends of the bars a, so as to normally gravitate against the discharge end of the pipe, and an arm e, connected to the lower portion of and disposed in front-of the said gate and having for its purpose to lend weight to the gate with a view of securely holding the same against the discharge end of the pipe under normal conditions and yet adapted to give to the pressure of water in the pipe and permit of the free discharge of such water from the pipe. The gate (Z preferably comprises a wire f, bent into circular form and journaled in eyes at the forward ends of the bars a, and a diaphragm g of re-. ticulated material stretched within and suitably connected to the wire The arm 6 is preferably a terminal of the said wire f, andit preferably extends forwardly and upwardly from the lowermost point of the gate (1 to a point considerably above the upper part of the gate, where it terminates in a ball or other weight h, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. r

In the practical use of my novel guards it will be observed that the apertured gates d normally rest under the pressure of the weights 7L tight against the discharge ends of the pipes C and D, with the result that air is free to circulate through the said pipes and the cistern, and yet mosquitos and other insects are effectually prevented from gaining access to the interior of the cistern or tank through the pipes. It will also be noticed that the gates d are free to give to heads of water in the pipes, so as not to interfere with the free flow of water into and out of the cistern, and yet when the flow of water ceases the said gates will promptly swing to and remain in a position close against the discharge ends of the pipes.

It will be readily gathered from the foregoing that the guards hereinbefore specifically described as constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention are simple in construction and highly eflicient in practice and are, furthermore, materially advantageous because of the facility with which they may be attached to pipes at present in use without the employment of skilled labor. From this latter it follows that my novel guards are susceptible of being placed on the market as articles of manufacture, and I desire it understood that I contemplate putting the guards in such manner before the public.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, except that the weighted arm e extends from the upper portion of the gate instead of from the lower ortion thereof. In this connection I desire 1t understood that the weighted arm may extend from any part of the gate without involving departure from the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a pipe; of a mosquito-guard comprising bars having barbs embedded in the upper portion of the pipe, a

swinging, apertured gate hinged to the said bars and arranged to gravitate against the end of the pipe, and an arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the lower portion of the gate and provided with a weight.

2. As an article of manufacture, a mosquito-guard comprising bars terminating in barbs, a swinging, apertured ate hinged to said bars, and an arm exten ing forwardly and upwardly from the gate and provided with a weight. g

3. As an article of manufacture, a mosquito guard for cistern pipes, comprising bars fixedly connected together and terminating in barbs, a gate having a circular wire hinged to the said bars and also having a diaphragm of reticulated material stretched within and connected to the wire, and an arm forming a terminal of the said wire and provided with a weight.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN O. MIRE. Witnesses:

LoUIs P. BRYANT, LOUIS P. BRYANT, Jr. 

